A few weeks ago, I watched the Golden Globes and saw "Big Little Lies" take home four awards, including one for Best Miniseries or Television Film. I was curious, and felt compelled to watch the show, especially after hearing Reese Witherspoon 's acceptance speech.

"Hopefully, shows like this, more will be made. So, people out there who are feeling silenced by harassment, discrimination, abuse: time is up," said Witherspoon, who co-starred and co-produced the HBO drama. "We see you. We hear you. And we will tell your stories."

"What stories?" I wondered. After that, I watched the entire seven-episode series in two sittings, glued to the TV, my mouth wide open much of the time. The big story line: domestic abuse.

The show centers on a group of suburban moms (played by Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman , Shailene Woodley and Laura Dern) living in a wealthy California beachfront town. The women seem, at first, to have the perfect marriages and lives. But the producers did a stellar job of painting a very non-perfect — in fact, a horrendously ugly — picture of what life with domestic violence can look like, demonstrating in the process that it can strike even the rich and beautiful.

I did some research, and found out that, according to the National Network To End Domestic Violence, more than one in three women have experienced rape, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner at some point in their lives. Nationwide, the organization says that an average of three women a day are killed by a current or former intimate partner.

"There's an assumption that those who are poor or who have less resources are the only people subjected to domestic violence, but that's not the case," said Walker, who has worked for WINGS for 13 years. "We have clients who are extremely wealthy, those who have no income and those who are middle-class. Domestic violence affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds."

Walker said that domestic abuse often goes unreported. Sometimes that's because the victim feels ashamed or threatened. Sometimes the victim wants to keep the family together and avoid disrupting their lives. If the victim isn't a legal resident of the U.S., he or she may be afraid that reporting the abuse could lead to deportation.

Walker said the most dangerous time for victims is when they do decide to leave.

"It's also the scariest time for the abuser because they don't want to lose the person, so this is the time where there could be further abuse or a homicide," she said.

So, what should someone do if he or she is being abused and wants help? Walker said the best place to start is to figure out a safety plan. She said researching potential resources online is safe.

"Most domestic abuse sites have a button that you can X out so that it won't be in your search history and your partner can't figure out you were on it," she said.

Walker also recommended gathering important documents, including birth certificates, Social Security cards and other legal documents, and figuring out a way to start saving money. She said if you are too afraid to call the police, consider calling a domestic violence hotline.

"They are confidential and you don't have to give your name," Walker said. "They are there to talk, give advice and provide resources. You also don't have to call the police to get into a shelter."

Being a relationship columnist and blogger, I get many letters every week from readers who are seeking advice and experiencing different emotions. These include shock, sadness, anger, confusion, resentment, loneliness and, of course, fear.

Of all of the emotions a person can feel, the most difficult to cope with can be fear, especially if it's fear of your spouse. Can you imagine trying to live with someone of whom you're afraid? My heart aches for women and men in this situation.

But on a positive note, Walker said she has seen many happy endings for domestic abuse victims.

"We see people who come in and they are down and they are broken, and they are eventually able to find their voice and make decisions for themselves," she said. "We really try to help people realize that they've had the tools they needed the whole time and that they are survivors."

To help support WINGS and victims of domestic violence, I am holding a fundraiser the night of Thursday, March 1. I hope you will join me. To buy tickets, or for more information, visit FundraiserforWINGS.eventbrite.com.

Jackie Pilossoph is a freelance columnist for Chicago Tribune Media Group. She is also the creator of her divorce support website, Divorced Girl Smiling. Pilossoph lives in Chicago with her two children.